We are working on getting Micah sleeping through the night. It has been interesting because when we let him scream it out, we risk waking up the two older. We’ve figured out a solution, though, and the last few nights he’s only been up once and has slept for at least one 7-8 hour stretch.

This morning, one of the older children were a little noisy in the room and woke him up (he sleeps in later than the oldest two.) He was crying and when I went into the room, he looks up from his crib at me and says “ni-night” in the most pitiful little voice.” I gave him his pacifier, he rolled over, closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

I guess that’s 9-month-old speak for “hit the snooze button one more time,” or “five more minutes please!”

On more exciting news: we are officially members of Carlisle Baptist Church! Yay! We are so thankful that God has guided us to a loving group of people. . . we are SO excited to begin serving God there!

On an excursion today to the seminary with some neighbors and the children, we passed a nice shaded bench with a lady student studying quietly seated there. After we pass the bench, Elijah stops, turns around, points to the bench and says “Look, Mommy, it’s a bench!” Nothing wrong with that sentence right? Nothing wrong except the pronunciation! Elijah replaces the “n” in “bench” with a “t.” So I say VERY LOUDLY hoping the lady hears me “Yes, Elijah, it’s a BENNNNCH!!

Only a few minutes later on the walk, another of our neighbors joins us on our walk. Suddenly, without any warning, Merry and Elijah pick a tree next to the road to stop at and drop their pants. Both my neighbors are trying to stifle their laughter (I’m assuming because they are RELIEVED it’s NOT THEIR CHILDREN DOING THIS!) Elijah goes to the backside of the tree (as we have trained him in for an emergency such as this) and of course pees. Merry is just standing there on the front side of the tree, with her pants around her ankles. Bare bum showing to all the cars driving into the entrance of the seminary. As I pull up Merry’s pants, I ask her if she needed to go potty, she says, “no” in a very matter-of-fact way. Come on! If you are going to drop your drawers in public, at least have a good reason!

Micah just cut 4 upper teeth in THREE DAYS, so needless to say, we’ve been a little sleep deprived and slightly frayed at the edges lately! Merry and Elijah started school. . . WHAT FUN!!! This week we are reading The Story of Ping and loving Five in a Row TOTALLY! It is right at our pace.

Jeremy registered me for a Seminary Wives Institute class “Biblical Counseling” that starts next week and I have begun reading the text for that class “Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands” by Paul David Tripp. My little cooking/personal chef home business has steadily grown over the last few weeks, and I am excited to be able to share it with all of you: http://mycomfortkitchen.wordpress.com Sadly, I’m unable to ship goods outside of Louisville, Kentucky!

Jeremy started classes this week and it seems VERY managable, which is so encouraging. He likes his Greek class and his other classes as well, but we were of course most concerned about the language class.

The biggest praise is that this week marks less than two weeks until Jeremy will officially be out of the Air Force! Thank you all for praying for us! God is gracious to us. We see evidence of that over and over as we meet with other student families as the new school year starts.

Jeremy writes,
We are new to the cable television scene. In fact, in eleven years of marriage we’ve never been cable subscribers. The seminary has cable included as part of the rent, so we’ve tested the waters. I am personally excited to have the opportunity to watch every Steeler game with both ESPN and NFL Network. Other than the aforementioned perk we have only watched a couple of shows in the morning on Playhouse Disney. The kids are avid fans of “Little Einsteins” and “The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.” The little ditty’s and theme songs are regular numbers in our household.

But Adina and I have an affinity for the bear of little brain, “Special Agent Oso.” It’s not quite up their with the classical music and art fare of “Little Einsteins”, but it has generated some interesting behavior in the children. Unlike the honey junkie, Pooh (another stuffed bear of little brain), Special Agent Oso gets his kicks going on missions to teach kids to do household chores and other tasks on their own. Since watching this show Elijah is taking his own initiative in brushing his teeth (without being asked) and doing other household chores, “just like Agent Oso.” Anything that gets my kids interested in housework has me on board. Adina and I look at each other and laugh when the kids help out and point out that they’re doing just like Special Agent Oso does.

The show is voiced by Sean Astin, the actor who portrayed the lovable Samwise Gamgi from “Lord of the Rings.” If you have young children (and more to the point, cable) check it out.

Someone just did the calculations, and in our ONE building alone, there will be at least 15 children ages five and under within the next few weeks (a few women are due, and we have one more empty apartment that may have a family assigned to it). Word around campus is that our building has been nicknamed “The Baby Factory” and “Fertility Row.”

We’ll take that as a compliment!

So. . .there are always playmates, people to talk to, a popsicle to share, someone sinning (of course that would be someone from our apartment!) And somehow, sidewalk chalk ends up on so many other surfaces than. . .the sidewalk. . .go figure??!

So today I brought out a brush and a bowl of water in hopes that I could get some cleaned off and maybe pawn the job off onto one of the children, entertaining them and getting something cleaned in the process. Before 5 minutes had passed three more children wanted the ONE brush. . . so moms went inside and 4 more brushes were added to the bowl.

Why is it that we spend money on sidewalk chalk, bicycles, jump houses, outdoor toys, balls, buckets. . . but all they want is a kitchen bowl and a scrub brush???!!!!

I had to snap a picture. We love our friends. They are a blessing, and a gift from God!

“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you” 1 Thess. 4:11

Here are a few pictures from our sweet friend and neighbor’s little tea party she threw the “ladies on the strip” here (the four little ladies who all live in a row in these apartments) The three girls on the right in this picture all share birthdays within weeks of each other! For those of you who have prayed for sweet friends, here are pictures of some answers to your prayers!

Here’s a great picture of us (not real happy to have to be delayed to her party for a photo shoot!) going to tea after getting all dressed up:

It has been quite humbling to live among such godly families and to especially watch them seek the Lord with their children. We all do things very differently, but are commonly seeking the glory of God in our family’s lives. These are going to be good years for us, I am thankful God has chosen to put us here (though I still miss people we love from other cities!)

Yesterday Elijah pipes up as we head out to a garage sale “I need a stool to preach on.” After further probing, I come to realize that he REALLY is talking about a pulpit. . .and yes, he is keeping his eyes out for one at the garage sales! I guess if there was one town he might find one in, it would be this one. . .BUT that’s one item I’ve never seen in a toddler size!